30 A JOURNEY ON FOOT TO THE PATANI FRONTIER. 
Princess.” It was easy to appreciate here the imagination which 
had discovered in beautiful stalagmites, fashioned by ages in the 
likeness of drapery, the kalambu, or bed-curtains, of the invisible 
lady. They reached nearly from the floor to the arched roof where 
stalactites hung to meet them. Close at hand was a small cham- 
ber known locally as the bathing-apartment, in which a step led 
up to a bath formed in the rock. I almost wondered at not find- 
ing the looking-glass or other toilette necessaries of the tenant! 
But such a discovery would have involved a search for the owner 
at the cost of unknown delay to the expedition. I know a Malay 
Raja who spent many days once in searching for some fair spirit 
in the niountains of the interior of Kedah, guided only by the 
report of some ryots who had disturbed her at her toilette besides 
a stream. I think they brought back a magic comb to witness if 
they lied. 
Chinese come to Malay countries and ruin by their prosaic com- 
mercial habits all the association of caves with princesses and other 
agreeable ideas. These caverns are carpeted with the article of 
commerce known as taht kalawa, guano, the droppings of innumer- 
able bats. In connection with caves, the Chinaman knows of 
nothing more ethereal than bats’ dung! 
Penghulu Dotan and some of his friends were to have met us at 
the caves, but they did not appear, and we returned to Lunggong. 
There we found out the cause of their failure in their engagement. 
Even in this secluded district there were to be fonnd men capable 
of carrying out a housebreaking job in a fairly workmanlike man- 
ner, and it seemed that a house had been robbed the night before 
in the most civilized way in the world. The discovery of the loss 
and the subsequent search had detained our friends. I only mention 
this incident, because we were instrumental in arresting the offenders 
afterwards. 
Two Sayyids of Chigar Gala to whom I had written (at the 
entreaty of Haji AnuBAKAR who was tired of walking) asking for 
the loan of two elephants, appeared to-day. They related with 
much empressement how they had hastened from their village at 
my call, only too honoured at being asked to lend their beasts. But 
where were the elephants? Alas! did not the Tuan (Master) know 
